Perils of Darkness, Purity of Light
by MissMandS
Summary: The world of Middle Earth has fallen into shadow, fire and despair. Nothing remains in it, except for a baby by the name of Bilbo Baggins who is dubbed by Lady Galadriel as the 'last pure thing' of their world and by the Valar as little star, born of purity and light. Fleeing to the Undying Lands are the wizards and four elves with the child whose choices will reshape the world.
1. Chapter 1

They walk in a straight line. First come the wizards, their staffs making soft clicks on the ground with each step they take. Following after them are elves, first Elrond, then Thranduil and walking together Celeborn and Galadriel who hold hands; their footsteps silent across the ground. For a moment they all linger there, unmoving and then Galadriel slips her hand from Celeborn's and walks forward.

The baby's eyes are closed, its lips shut. The only real sign of life comes from beneath the blankets in the form of a steady rising and falling of its chest. Making a soft humming sound Galadriel lifts a hand, brushing it over the forehead of the child.

"I sensed the change and now I understand. This truly is the last pure thing left in our world." Galadriel says, moving her down to rest over the child's steadily thumping heart.

"Is it alive then?" Radagast asks.

"Yes, it is alive but how well it is, I do not know." Galadriel gathers the baby in her arms, standing up slowly. She waits for a whimper, a cry, anything from the baby. But all it does is continue to breathe steadily, its chest rising and falling beneath the blankets.

"The world has fallen into shadow; it has fallen to fire and despair. But no shadow, no fire or despair has passed the borders of this land. It has been touched by light. Light which we must protect lest we fail and the light fall to the perils of darkness." And holding out her hand Galadriel walks back to Celeborn and just like before, they walk in a straight line, this time to the Grey Havens.

And there is no whimper, no cry, no screams, and no stirrings from the baby. As they walk through the burned out forests, over trees torn down. As they walk through towns slaughtered and over bodies slayed. As they walk through the blood, the mud, the puddles dried up and the ash the baby remains silent. Even as they board the ship there is not a peep, not a sound from the blankets in Galadriel's arms.

She pauses on the shores of the Grey Havens, looking at the ships and then turning back towards what remains of Middle Earth. Gandalf stands beside her, leaning against his staff and looking suddenly very old.

"Do not be afraid Mithrandir; this is not the end for us. It is merely a new beginning, one which we must face."

"I have faced many new beginnings and many ends but to watch the very world I occupy end before my very eyes. That is not one I thought I would bear witness to."

"Hope remains if we are able to find ourselves able to believe in it. Now come Mithrandir, the sea calls us home."

"No Lady Galadriel, it does not call us home. It calls us to shelter." They step onto the ship, watching as the shores disappear behind them. They watch as what remains of their home disappears behind them. There is no shock on their faces at the smoke rising, at the scent following them, at the light that slowly fades as they move further and further away.

In her arms the baby stirs, eyelids fluttering as its mouth twists. The wizards and elves twist towards it, simultaneously, watching with baited breath. They wait. For the final rise and fall of its chest, for the final flare of its nostrils, for its final movement. The baby lets out a wail and Galadriel brings up her hand to touch its forehead, awe glowing in her eyes.

"The last pure thing of our world." Galadriel whispers.

"There is no more world for us my lady; there is only shelter. That and the hope we place on a child." Saruman says.

"Our world has fallen into shadow; it has fallen to fire and despair. But no shadow, no fire or despair will pass the borders of this land. It has been touched by light. A light which we will protect." Galadriel says to the still crying baby.

One by one they step off the ship, staffs clicking, soft footsteps and the cries of a baby echoing.

* * *

I don't even know what happened here. Only that I needed this and I feel as if I have truly outdone myself this time.

As for Bilbo continuously being referred to as 'it' I hadn't really decided on gender.


	2. Chapter 2

The voice is soft but rings out over the land, halting them in their steps and rooting them to the ground.

"Bring the child to my pastures and give him to me." The voice wraps around Galadriel, drifting over the still crying baby. For a moment the baby stops, blinking owlishly as the voice fades away.

"Do not fear little one, no harm will come to you with the Valar." Galadriel says and with a brush of her hand over the child's forehead they begin walking towards the pastures. The land is silent except for their footsteps, for their breathing and the occasional rustling of the blankets. Galadriel hesitates in the pasture, looking over her shoulder at the others. They stand away from her, watching and waiting.

Standing between a pair of trees is a tall, elegant looking woman who stares not at Galadriel but at the child in her arms. She moves slowly, her flaxen hair dragging behind her. She holds out her arms, gaze expectant. Galadriel inclines her head, handing the baby over carefully. The woman lingers there for a moment, smiling at the baby then turning and moving back towards the trees where a large gate now sits, its doors wide open and waiting. There is no hesitation from her as she steps inside, no fear in her shoulders as its doors close behind her.

She walks directly into the middle of the light, ignoring the whispers and hands that reach out to touch the baby. One by one, others begin to follow after her, all of them walking towards the man who clutches his staff and waits. She does not hand over the baby but inclines her head, lifting a hand to run her fingers over the apple of his cheek.

"I remember this creation, his parents prayed and pleaded for years to be blessed with a child. Their love was one that was pure of heart and therefore their child was one pure of heart and light." Yavanna says quietly. Around her the other Valar gather, all of them trying to peer at and touch the baby, whispering amongst themselves.

"What is his name?" Manwë asks.

"Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins."

"We gave them life, water, trees, dreams, the choice to die; we gave them mercy for all their faults. And how did they repay us? By allowing greed to cloud their minds, by allowing such simple things such as gold and jewelry cloud their minds and fight over petty objects. By allowing their minds to form so much hatred and poison they would kill each other for it, breeding beasts for war and turning against one another. That is how they repay us." Manwë thunders. Yavanna does not balk at his tone, taking a step forward she holds out Bilbo, inclining her head.

"Take him into your arms and hold him, he is untouched by shadow, by greed or hatred. He is untouched by the poisons of Arda. He is pure." Bilbo is handed over to Manwë, blinking owlishly up at him as he gurgles. Manwë stares down at him, watching each of his movements from the movement of his lips to the fluttering of his eyelids to the movement of his pudgy hands. When one of his hands moves towards his hair, his lips curl up into an almost smile.

"I see it, untouched by any shadow, greed, hatred or poison from the world of Arda. This child, born from the pure love of his parents' desire and wish that they be blessed is pure of heart and light. This child, Bilbo Baggins will reshape the world of Middle Earth. Take him back to the Lady Galadriel, inform her of decision."

* * *

Galadriel is waiting for her, hands held out as Yavanna walks towards her. She stops just short of Galadriel, Bilbo still in her arms.

"We have reached a decision as the Valar. This child, a hobbit of what was once the Shire was born after years of his parents praying and pleading to be blessed with a child. Their love was one that was pure of heart, therefore their child is one was one that was pure of heart and light, born of purity and untouched by the shadow or poisons of Arda. He is pure and he will reshape the world of Middle Earth."

"All that was is gone now; all that will be lies upon Bilbo's decisions. Those who were slayed in battle, those who deceived, lied, those touched by the shadows. All of this lies upon Bilbo's decisions. Each choice he makes will affect not only his course but yours. May the pureness of Bilbo Baggins remain intact through all that he faces and may shadow never touch him. Until we meet again, little star." Yavanna hands Bilbo over and then turns and walks back towards the gate, her hair dragging silently across the ground. Galadriel stands there, watching as the gate slams shut and then disappears.

Overhead the sound of leaves rustling comes and then crackling. Galadriel lifts her head, watching as one by one cocoons begin to fall from the branches of the trees. They vary in size, shape and color. Some of them are small, hanging only a couple of inches off the branches. Other branches hold only one or two they're so large, their colors ranging from dark to light; their shapes varying from wide to thin to long.

"The Valar believes that this child will shape the world." Galadriel says, watching as yet another branch gives a shudder, dropping another cocoon.

"It's an interesting thing to think of isn't it? The idea that the world will be shaped through the eyes and ideas of a child." Gandalf says quietly, coming to stand beside her.

"Bilbo Baggins, Mithrandir. Did you know his parents?" Galadriel asks. Gandalf's lined face deepens as he frowns, sinking onto the ground and gesturing for her to hand Bilbo over to him.

"Yes, I did. I knew his parents and several of his family members, hobbits of the Shire but that was…That was before." Gandalf smiles down at the Bilbo who stares up at him. For a moment Galadriel lingers there, watching the two. Then she turns and walks off, leaving him alone with Bilbo. Gandalf remains frozen, watching transfixed as Bilbo entangles his fingers in his hair, his beard, sucks on his fingers, gurgles and blinks up at him. Each movement has him holding his breath, each movement making his eyes mist, and each moment making his chest clench.

"Your parents tried for years and years, several times I witnessed your mother, Belladonna Took grow disheartened each time their tries did not bring about a child. But even as other parents carried their children and started families of their own, she did not grow angry nor did she grow jealous. It was that which brought you about Bilbo Baggins."

* * *

I can not tell you all how excited I am for this story. I have this feeling that it is going to become this very long, very epic tale because there are endless possibilities.

Any suggestions, comments, questions are welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

Thranduil stares at the face through the thin, filmy, pearly colored sac that separates them. The face is unmistakable, the sharp cheekbones softened only by the long lashes brushing them, the straight and narrow nose. Even through the fluids he can see her position: her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, her chest unmoving. Elrond is coming towards him now, his footsteps slow as he pauses by each sac, checking for his own wife, his own children.

"Thranduil you should come and eat. We do not know when any of them will awaken or if they will even awaken. There is a possibility that those who are not meant to awake will merely shrivel up and pass on to somewhere else." Elrond says.

"No hobbits, no elves, no humans, not even any dwarves have awakened yet. We do not know who will awaken or if any of them will ever awaken. That does not mean I cannot sit here and wait for the possibility that my wife will awaken." Elrond lingers there for a moment, his shoulders sagging as he sighs.

"I will bring you some food." Elrond promises and with a sweep of his robes he is gone, leaving Thranduil to watch the sac, still unmoving. Erelil is inside the sac, her body is there, her soul possibly there. Thranduil crouches on the ground, watching and waiting for the slightest bit of movement. He wants a breath, a flutter, a shift, a loll of her head. She could come out of this sac and breathe, she could blink and move around but her soul could be anywhere. And then. Then where will he be?

"If you don't eat you will waste away." Galadriel is setting a plate of food in front of him, kneeling down beside him, joining him in looking at the sac. Bilbo, old enough now to walk toddles behind her, clutching the train of her dress. He moves from the train of her dress to Thranduil's robes, climbing into the elf king's lap and sticking his thumb into his mouth. Thranduil barely notices as he reaches for the sac then retracts his hand into his lap, his face pained.

"Can you not do anything to bring it down or open it up?" He asks quietly.

"Even I am tainted by the poisons of Arda, each of us are. You know that. The only one who can do anything is Bilbo." Both elves look towards the child in question who stares up at them, smiling around his thumb. Galadriel smiles, reaching out to brush his curls back only to be stopped by Thranduil.

"Do not touch him with that ring on your hand." Thranduil's tone is full of venom as he stares at her hand. Galadriel stares at her hand then sighs, slowly retracting it and folding it into her lap.

"As I said, even I am tainted by the poisons of Arda, Thranduil. Come if you will not eat then you must at least rest."

"Allow me one minute more." Thranduil says, turning back towards the sac, looking at the still motionless face. In his lap Bilbo pulls his thumb from his mouth looking from Thranduil's face to the woman's in the sac. His hand moves over Thranduil's face and down his throat, coming to rest beneath the brooch. Sliding off the elf's lap he watches as the two stand and begin to walk away then toddles towards the sac.

It gives way easily to his touch, his nails slicing through it. Bilbo pulls away with a small frown, watching as the sac slowly slides away with a slippery, wet sound as it opens. First comes the head of warm, light blonde hair and then a face and finally a body lowers itself to the ground. Behind him Thranduil and Galadriel watch frozen, looking first at each other and then at the unmoving elf. Bilbo toddles towards her, looking up at the branch where moments ago a sac was there are now only flowers spreading. Thranduil steps forward only for Galadriel to put her arm out, shaking her head ever so slightly.

"We must let Bilbo do this on his own." She insists. Bilbo stares at the unmoving body, looking from it to the flowers. Sitting down beside it, he lifts a small hand and strokes their cheek. The elf's head rolls back and forth, their eyes fluttering. Their nostrils flare and then their eyes are open, blinking furiously as they look around.

"Where am I?" She asks and looks at Bilbo. He looks from her to the flowers, popping his thumb into his mouth before he stands up and toddles away, leaving her alone with Galadriel and Thranduil.

"He is not quite old enough to speak yet. Here." Galadriel hands over a robe to the woman. They wait until the woman has covered herself and stood up on shaky, unsure legs before they speak with her.

"Do you remember anything?" Galadriel begins.

"I remember darkness and someone crying, crying out a name. Then it was silent and there were all these others lying in the darkness with me. It was very peaceful." There's a small smile on her face as she looks up towards the flowers.

"I kept seeing this face but it would not come into focus. Then there was a light and it must have been starlight for it was so pure and bright and I could see everything. And then I was being pulled through the darkness."

"It is a time of rebirth for all who have been harmed by the poisons of Arda. Welcome to the Undying Lands, Erelil." Galadriel smiles and turns to walk off.

"That child, what was he…She?"

"He, his name is Bilbo."

"Could I perhaps meet him?" It takes some searching on Galadriel's part who finally finds Bilbo in the Pastures of Yavanna. He's lying on the ground asleep, his thumb in his mouth and his legs tucked to his chest. He goes easily into her arms, settling against her shoulder as she walks him back to Thranduil and Erelil.

Erelil stares at him with pursed lips, looking him over from top to bottom. She sighs, shaking her head and looking almost apologetically at Galadriel.

"I cannot remember ever seeing his face before now but I am almost sure that he is the light I saw. But you, I know your face. I know it very well. Though, I'm afraid I cannot remember your name." Erelil says apologetically as she turns towards Thranduil.

"I know your face too; I've been waiting to see it again for far too many years. Do you know his face?" He turns her towards the tree where a new sac is forming, a smaller being tucked in itself forming.

"Legolas." Galadriel looks down at Bilbo, trying to ignore the clenching in her chest as she scans the tree branches once more. In her arms Bilbo stirs, one of his hands searching until it finds a piece of her hair. Galadriel tightens her grip on him, sighing as she turns away and moves back towards the Pastures of Yavanna.

* * *

Erelil means morning light which my head canon is that when Thranduil's wife was killed all the light quite literally went out of his life and there was no more light for him. Self explanatory.

And the sacs which the elves are in are just amniotic sacs.

Angie: It's not really a do-over of the Hobbit. As of right now I don't envision the quest happening if that's you mean. As for what happened, everything will slowly come together piece by piece and then be revealed all together.


End file.
